Abu Dhabi17 areas
Areas in Abu Dhabi
Islands, waterfront districts and mainland suburbs, with the projects, homes for sale and prices we list in each.
- Areas
- 17
- Projects
- 142
- Homes for sale
- 100
- Prices from
- AED 500,000
The areas
Residential areas in Abu Dhabi
Each area opens its own page with homes, launches and prices. Areas with the most choice come first.
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Side by side
Compare Abu Dhabi areas
Our live stock in each area: projects, homes for sale, the lowest asking price and when the projects still being built hand over.
| Area | Projects | Homes for sale | Prices from | Handover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Reem IslandIsland | 31 | 28 | AED 603,000 | 2027 to 2031 |
| Saadiyat IslandIsland | 34 | 14 | AED 905,000 | 2026 to 2030 |
| Yas IslandIsland | 30 | 13 | AED 700,000 | 2026 to 2030 |
| Mohammed Bin Zayed CityMainland | 6 | 11 | AED 690,000 | 2027 to 2028 |
| Hudayriyat IslandIsland | 8 | 7 | AED 2,000,000 | 2027 to 2031 |
| Masdar CityMainland | 10 | 3 | AED 500,000 | 2028 to 2030 |
| Al ShamkhaMainland | 2 | 8 | AED 850,000 | Not announced |
| Al Raha BeachMainland | 7 | 0 | AED 2,500,000 | 2029 |
| Fahid IslandIsland | 3 | 4 | AED 1,500,000 | 2029 |
| Al GhadeerMainland | 1 | 6 | AED 550,000 | 2029 |
| Al Maryah IslandIsland | 3 | 1 | AED 780,000 | 2031 |
| Ramhan IslandIsland | 2 | 1 | AED 6,400,000 | 2027 to 2029 |
| Khalifa CityMainland | 1 | 2 | AED 1,000,000 | 2028 |
| Al JurfMainland | 3 | 0 | AED 1,500,000 | 2028 |
| Al ReefMainland | 0 | 2 | AED 900,000 | Ready homes |
| RabdanMainland | 1 | 0 | On request | Not announced |
Figures come from our live listings and change as homes sell and projects launch. Prices are asking prices.
Match your plans
Which area suits you?
Beach and culture
Island homes near white sand, museums and marinas.
City living
Towers beside downtown, the offices and the malls.
Leisure and events
Theme parks, golf and the Grand Prix close to home.
Families who want space
Villas and townhouses with gardens, away from the towers.
Lower entry prices
The areas where our live prices start lowest today.
New master plans
Buy early in communities that are still being built.
Questions
Questions about Abu Dhabi areas
What are the main areas to live and buy in Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi splits into island areas and mainland communities. The main islands are Saadiyat, Yas, Al Reem, Al Maryah, Hudayriyat, Fahid, Ramhan and Jubail. On the mainland and the coast you find Al Raha Beach, Khalifa City, Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Masdar City, Al Reef, Al Ghadeer, Al Shamkha, Al Jurf and Rabdan. Each card on this page opens that area's own page.
Which is the best area in Abu Dhabi to buy property?
There is no single best area: it depends on your budget and your plans. Saadiyat Island suits buyers who want beaches and culture, Yas Island suits leisure and events, Al Reem Island suits city living beside downtown, and Khalifa City, Al Reef and Mohammed Bin Zayed City suit families who want a villa. Compare our live stock and prices in the table on this page, then open the area.
Can foreigners buy property in any area of Abu Dhabi?
No. Abu Dhabi law lets buyers who are not UAE nationals own property inside the investment zones the government designates, such as Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, Al Reem Island, Al Raha Beach, Hudayriyat Island and Al Reef. Some areas use another title: on Al Maryah Island, buyers from outside the GCC hold a 99 year leasehold, and in Masdar City the title depends on the building. Our page on Abu Dhabi investment zones explains the rules.
Which areas in Abu Dhabi have homes under AED 1 million?
In our listings today, homes or new projects start under AED 1 million in Masdar City, Al Ghadeer, Al Reem Island, Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Yas Island, Al Maryah Island, Al Shamkha, Al Reef and Saadiyat Island. The Under AED 1 million filter above shows them, and our page on properties under AED 1 million lists the homes.
Which areas are best for families?
Families who want space usually look at the mainland villa suburbs: Khalifa City, Mohammed Bin Zayed City and Al Reef, with Al Ghadeer for townhouses. On the islands, Saadiyat Island and Yas Island have villas and townhouses, and Saadiyat has Cranleigh Abu Dhabi school on the island.
What is the difference between island and mainland areas?
The islands carry most of the new towers and launches, sit on the water and are closer to downtown or the beaches. The mainland areas offer larger villas and plots, often at a lower price per square metre, with quicker drives to the airport and the road to Dubai. Many buyers choose an island for an apartment and the mainland for a family villa.
Which areas are closest to Zayed International Airport?
Masdar City is about 5 minutes from the airport, and Yas Island, Al Raha Beach and Al Reef are about 10 minutes away. Mohammed Bin Zayed City is 15 to 20 minutes away and Saadiyat Island about 23 minutes.
Where are the new off-plan launches in Abu Dhabi?
Most of the projects we list are in Saadiyat Island, Al Reem Island and Yas Island. Handovers in our catalogue run from 2026 to 2031. See every launch on our off-plan projects in Abu Dhabi page.
Is Saadiyat Island or Yas Island better?
Saadiyat Island suits buyers who want beaches, museums and a quieter island, while Yas Island suits buyers who want theme parks, events and a short drive to the airport. Both are open to every nationality and have apartments, townhouses and villas. Our Saadiyat Island vs Yas Island comparison sets them side by side.
How often are the numbers on this page updated?
The projects, homes for sale and prices come from our live catalogue and listings and refresh through the day as homes sell and projects launch. Prices are asking prices, so confirm the current figure with our team before you decide.
Before you choose
How to choose an area in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is a city of islands linked by bridges, with suburbs spreading inland toward the airport and the road to Dubai. Where you buy decides your drive to work, your view, the type of home you can afford and how easily you can rent it out later.
Start with three questions: do you want the sea or a garden, an apartment or a villa, and how often will you drive to downtown, the airport or Dubai? The answers usually narrow the list to two or three areas.
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Islands or mainland: the first choice
The islands hold most of the city's new towers and launches. Al Reem Island and Al Maryah Island sit beside downtown, Saadiyat Island is the island of beaches and museums, and Yas Island is the leisure island next to the airport. Hudayriyat, Fahid and Ramhan are newer islands where whole master plans are being built, and Jubail Island is an island of low density villages set inside mangroves.
The mainland areas trade the sea for space. Khalifa City, Mohammed Bin Zayed City and Al Reef are villa suburbs close to Zayed International Airport, Masdar City is a low carbon district beside the airport, and Al Ghadeer and Al Shamkha are newer Aldar communities further from the centre. Al Raha Beach is the exception: it sits on the mainland coast with a marina and waterfront towers.
The island areas
- Saadiyat Island property for sale: about 13 minutes from the Corniche, with more than 9 km of protected white sand, the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum, and apartments, townhouses and villas by Aldar, Bloom and Reportage. Read the Saadiyat Island guide.
- Yas Island property investment: about 10 minutes from the airport, home to Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World, SeaWorld and the Formula 1 Grand Prix, with apartments, townhouses, villas and villa plots. See the townhouses for sale in Yas Island and the Yas Island guide.
- Property for sale in Al Reem Island: towers beside downtown and Al Maryah Island, Reem Mall, and townhouse districts such as Reem Hills and Maysan. See the apartments for sale in Al Reem Island and the Al Reem Island guide.
- Al Maryah Island properties: the financial district, home to Abu Dhabi Global Market, The Galleria and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Homes are mostly apartments, registered with the ADGM Registration Authority. Read the Al Maryah Island guide.
- Hudayriyat Island by Modon Properties: beaches, golf and a 220 km cycling network, about 10 minutes from the city by bridge. Read the Hudayriyat Island guide.
- Fahid Island properties for sale: Aldar's new wellness island between Yas and Saadiyat, planned for more than 6,000 homes. Read the Fahid Island guide.
- Ramhan Island real estate: Eagle Hills' island near Yas, with standalone villas that face the beach and apartments around a marina. Read the Ramhan Island guide.
- Jubail Island: a natural island of 40 million square metres between Yas and Saadiyat, built as low density villages of villas, townhouses and apartments inside a mangrove landscape.
The mainland and coastal areas
- Property for sale in Al Raha Beach: Aldar's finished waterfront between the city and Yas Island, with the Al Bandar, Al Zeina, Al Muneera and Al Hadeel precincts and a marina. Read the Al Raha Beach guide.
- Khalifa City property for sale: one of the city's most established family suburbs, with villas of 3 to 7 bedrooms and low rise apartments near the airport. Read the Khalifa City A guide.
- Property for sale in Mohammed Bin Zayed City: large villas with a separate majlis next to Mussafah, with Bloom Living next door. See the property for sale in Zayed City and the Mohammed Bin Zayed City guide.
- Masdar City apartments and property for sale: Mubadala's low carbon district beside the airport, with apartments, townhouses and villa villages. Read the Masdar City guide.
- Property for sale in Al Reef: Manazel's community, finished in 2012, with villas in four styles and apartment buildings, about 10 minutes from the airport. Read the Al Reef guide.
- Al Ghadeer community guide: Aldar's community on the Abu Dhabi side of the Dubai border, on the E11. Its newest phase is Al Ghadeer Gardens.
- Al Reeman guide: Aldar's community in Al Shamkha, with the Alreeman plots, Fay Alreeman villas and Reeman Living apartments.
- Al Jurf guide: a 370 hectare coastal community at Ghantoot, about halfway to Dubai, by IMKAN and Ohana.
- Rabdan guide: a quiet suburb between Khalifa City and Al Maqta, close to central Abu Dhabi.
Schools, shopping and hospitals
Families often decide on the school run first. Saadiyat Island has Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and NYU Abu Dhabi, Al Reem Island has Repton Abu Dhabi and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and Khalifa City has Al Raha International School, GEMS American Academy and Canadian International School. For shopping, Al Reem Island has Reem Mall with Snow Abu Dhabi, and Al Maryah Island has The Galleria, with more than 400 stores, and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi on the same island. On Fahid Island a UK school campus is due to open in 2028. Each area page lists the schools, malls and clinics nearby.
Off-plan or ready: how it differs by area
Most new launches are on the islands. Saadiyat, Al Reem and Yas carry the largest share of the projects we list, and Hudayriyat, Fahid and Ramhan are being built almost entirely off-plan. Buying off-plan usually means a smaller Down Payment and a payment plan that runs to handover, but you wait for the keys. The established suburbs such as Khalifa City, Mohammed Bin Zayed City and Al Reef, and most of Al Raha Beach, are finished, so they suit buyers who want to move in or rent out straight away. Our guide to buying off-plan property in Abu Dhabi explains payment plans, escrow and handover.
Who can own where
Under Abu Dhabi's Law No. 19 of 2005, as amended in 2019, buyers who are not UAE nationals can own property inside the investment zones the government designates. Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, Al Reem Island, Al Raha Beach, Hudayriyat Island, Al Reef, Jubail Island and Al Jurf are open to every nationality. Al Maryah Island uses a 99 year leasehold for buyers from outside the GCC, and in Masdar City the title depends on the building, so always check the title of the exact home.
Our page on Abu Dhabi investment zones lists the zones with their prices and yields, and the guide to buying property in Abu Dhabi as an expat walks through each step.
Prices, returns and the Golden Visa
Prices differ more between areas than between home types. Use the table above to compare the lowest asking prices we list in each area, then open the area page for prices by bedroom. For rental returns, read the Abu Dhabi real estate ROI guide. Homes worth AED 2 million or more can support a Golden Visa application, and the mortgage guide shows how much you can borrow.
How to shortlist two or three areas
- Set your budget, including the fees you pay on top of the price.
- Choose an apartment, a townhouse or a villa, and the number of bedrooms.
- Map your drives to work, school, the airport and Dubai.
- Compare two areas side by side, for example Al Reem Island vs Al Maryah Island.
- Open each area page for homes, launches and prices, then book a viewing with our team.
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